A Regular Romeo
by Literary Litany
Summary: To Sarah, it’s just a play. To Jareth, it’s much, much more. The Bard knew the right words, after all. Jareth/Sarah
1. Chapter 1: Words and Stories

**A Regular Romeo**

Summary: To Sarah, it's just a play. To Jareth, it's much, much more. The Bard knew the right words, after all. JxS

_By Literary Litany_

Disclaimer: Labyrinth is a work of Jim Henson, and Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare's. I claim only intellectual rights to the plot and original characters, and gain no financial benefit from this writing, only the warm fuzzy feeling reviews gets me.

FYI: There's a lot of Shakespeare in this fic, so it's helpful if you know the plot of Romeo and Juliet. It's not necessary of course, but it helps you understand some of the hints I drop. And is even more helpful in later chaps when I won't have time to write out the entire play.

* * *

Sarah leaned over Toby's bed and kissed the small boy's forehead. He smiled sleepily, snuggling into his pillow. The rain pattered in a loud but even beat outside his window, a sound that usually helped him sleep better, like the soft beat of small, invisible drums. A lullaby he knew so well, though not what from.

That is, until the loud screaming crack of thunder broke the tune, causing both of them to jump and Toby to whimper and fling the blanket up over his head. Sarah sighed. There would be no easy sleep for either of them tonight.

"Come on, Toby, come out." She urged, crawling into the small bed with him.

He shook his head under the blanket and made a stubborn noise. She couldn't help but smile. "If you come out, I'll tell you another story."

His eyes peeked up from the blanked, eager. "Stories?"

Sarah nodded gravely. "Yes, but you have to be a brave little Prince."

He tugged down the blanket, looking stubborn. "Toby very brave!"

The thunder struck again, and to his credit, he only cowered a little bit.

He was growing, every day getting older and more troublesome and more sweet and more brave. That was boys for you. She was growing too, but at just barely eighteen it felt like she was almost done. She was only so close to being on her own, being a full adult, but already she was being treated like one. Her parents and teachers ooh-ed and aah-ed at the transformation from the whimsical, distracted youth to the serious, enigmatic young woman.

She had her dreams to thank for that. The Goblin King and his Labyrinth. She had faced the allure of her childish dreams of fairy tale romance and easy solutions, and she had learned they were merely the illusion of happiness. Real happiness was hard-earned with perseverance and trust in a few good friends. Real happiness took time.

"What story do you want to hear, Toby?" She asked her brother, brushing a stray clump of hair from his face fondly.

Toby considered this. "C'n I hear the story Sawah's gonna be in?"

He meant the school play of course. Romeo and Juliet. She'd easily won the lead, and her parents must have been talking about it non-stop like last year if Toby knew already. "It's a romance." She warned him. "There's kissing."

He made a face as he considered this. "Is there sword-fighting?"

Amused, Sarah nodded. "And poison." Their parents probably wouldn't approve of her telling Toby all the gory details, but in her opinion it couldn't do any more damage than the fanciful Disney tales had to her.

"Yay!" Toby declared, snuggling into her. "Story!"

Sarah settled in next to him, and pondered where to begin…

* * *

Jareth sat musing in his throne-room, in his customary position of lazy grace and power on the throne, listening to Sarah's tale through the crystal in his hand. The first day of her eighteenth year had passed, and so his second chance had begun. At fifteen, the age of majority for Goblins, she had refused his attempt at a Goblin Courtship. Kidnapping and games and battles of wits were always commonplace among those of his Court, but it had not been enough to beat Sarah. To win her.

So now, when finally she was claimable in the Human Realm, he could seek after her again. This time, in the human way. So, in the human way he was studying her. Learning about how the young girl had changed to powerful young woman, earned respect and admiration among her peers and the pride of parents who were once ashamed. His Labyrinth had changed her. Molded her into something he wanted all the more.

Learning, he had also learned some unpleasant things though. Like the small throng of foolish mortal males also seeking to lay claim to her. Not that they were any match for him, but he did not appreciate their coveting eyes or hands or Darkness embrace them _lips_ anywhere near his Sarah.

So he would have to win her more quickly than he'd first planned. By this strange Ball they called Senior Prom, lest any of her other suitors work up the nerve to ask her.

No, he would have to move before that, but it might not have to be final, just temporary. Make her allow him a claim before then, so that he could challenge any offer she received.

But how to make her say the words?

Perhaps he just needed the right Bard.

* * *

The day after the storm was sunny and bright, making Sarah the smallest bit disappointed she'd be missing the good weather for play practice. At least the day seemed to have everyone in good spirits, and it would make for a lively afternoon of backstage joking and enthusiastic line-mangling.

Sarah slipped into step next to Andy, the handsome and dark-haired boy who'd been delivering powerful performances as the romantic lead consistently for the past three years with her, and had also consistently remained her friend. He smiled at her the same smile they always shared, and they picked up their conversation just where they'd left it off the day before.

"I still think it's a beautiful metaphor for love."

Sarah sighed. "For moronic love, maybe. Romeo's a fickle idiot."

Andy shook his head. "He couldn't live without her! Love clouded his reasoning, it's a tragic and classic case of a man's fall in love."

"Maybe that could've been it." She raised a finger. "If he hadn't been swooning just as eagerly over Rosalind in the first scene. I mean, he sees another girl for five minutes and he drops this supposed love of his life like an old hat."

He frowned, but continued to shake his head. "Don't you believe in love at first sight? In the kind of love that draws you to a person for no reasonable, logical explanation other than the love itself? Don't you believe that certain people are… Destined? Connected? Isn't that what Romeo and Juliet is about?"

"Destined to die, maybe." Sarah pointed out. "Because Romeo felt the same way you do. If he'd take on my perspective, they'd both still be alive."

Andy laughed. "If people in Shakespeare had your perspective, Sarah, they'd all spend the play filling out personality profiles instead of just getting on with life!"

Sarah smirked. "And they'd all be a lot happier for it."

Andy shook his head. "No, no. Your view may be nice and sensible, but it only makes you happy if you're not already in love. When it hits you, Sarah, all the pros and cons lists in the world won't make a smidge of difference."

Her eyebrows shot up. "And a high school boy would know this how?"

Andy blushed, shifting a bit and shoving his hands in his pockets. "I just do Sarah. I mean, come on, how do you know your theory's so great?"

She crossed her arms and sighed. "Because I tried believing in the whole Princely Love bit. In the end, those Princes… Or Kings, or whatever, they only want the prize of winning you. They don't care about consequences to those around you, or even how you feel about it."

She felt Andy staring at her in intent curiosity and bit her lip. "There was this guy, alright? I was fifteen."

"Sounds like a pretty spoiled jackass to me." Andy said, voice careful as he seemed unsure about whether this would upset her. Andy was smart like that around girls. He didn't get smacked in the head with book-stacks nearly so much as the other boys.

"He was." Sarah assured him. "But he was also the embodiment of the fairy-tale love. The old fairy-tales at least. Where it's sudden and dark and glittering and… More an obsession than love."

Andy whistled softly. "Hardcore. Where'd you find this guy?"

Sarah sighed. "I wished hard enough."

There was a small pause of silence during which Sarah could tell Andy was struggling not to ask a burning question. His curiosity finally won out over caution. "What happened between you two?"

Sarah scowled faintly. "Nothing past a PG rating, but he made a lot of promises."

Andy furrowed his brow. "Trying to get into your pants?"

Sarah barked out a hard, highly amused laugh. "He wouldn't have stopped there."

Andy stared at her. "He wanted to marry you? At fifteen!?"

"What can I say," Sarah wished for one vicious moment that he was watching and could hear this conversation. "He was pretty off his rocker."

"How old was he?"

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Going by maturity, couldn't have been older than twelve." It was a bit harsh, but Andy's curious attention made embellishment an irresistible temptation.

"Sounds like you just didn't meet the right Prince for you, Sarah." Andy offered, something hopeful in his eyes.

She smiled at him a bit wearily. "Maybe."

They found their seats in the audience as Paris and Lord Capulet already on stage continued through their line exchange. At it's close, there was call from the other actors for the party scene, which Andy and Sarah had won their roles with. Both blushed.

Sheepishly and grudgingly they climbed onto the stage to take their positions. A certain Goblin King in his throne-room narrowed his eyes and scowled.

* * *

Author's Note: Enjoy the opening chapter? It's not much in the way of J/S, but don't worry, I'll get Jareth in the thick of it soon. I'm almost done with Chapter 2, so I'll have it up soon. Reviews greatly appreciated!


	2. Chapter 2: Plans and Proposals

**A Regular Romeo**

Summary: To Sarah, it's just a play. To Jareth, it's much, much more. The Bard knew the right words, after all. JxS

_By Literary Litany_

Disclaimer: Labyrinth is a work of Jim Henson, and Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare's. I claim only intellectual rights to the plot and original characters, and gain no financial benefit from this writing, only the warm fuzzy feeling reviews gets me.

* * *

Abby, playing the nurse with whom Sarah had the second most scenes, caught her arm after practice. "Hey, Sarah, can I have a minute?" She gave her a shy smile, the dimples on her prettily heart-shaped face impossible to refuse.

They lingered as the other actors rushed out into the blue-and-purple dusk. Sarah frowned when she noticed Abby was fidgeting. "What's wrong?" She asked, placing a concerned hand on the younger girl's shoulder. Abby grimaced.

"Look, I know I'm not… Well, I'm not you." She bit her lip. "I always get the character roles. The mother, the grandmother, the bawdy old nurse." Abby sighed, and Sarah shifted uncomfortably. Sarah always caught the ingénue, leaving the other girls with the lesser roles. Abby, a short, curly red-head with round, rosy cheeks and a figure a bit too full for her height, caught the worst of it, but had always born it with better grace than most of the girls, and treated Sarah like a respected friend.

"You'll get work easier than I will, if you continue after high school, Abby." Sarah said honestly, feeling apologetic and uncomfortable.

Abby just looked frustrated and waved her to silence. "That's not my problem. My problem is… Well, the ingénue always gets the guy." She ran a hand through her hair, a nervous gesture that made it clump about in a puff around her head. "Could you maybe… Point a few my way? I know you're going to get asked to the Prom about fifty times."

Sarah blinked. "Guys?" She felt her stomach churn. "Fifty?"

Abby looked sympathetic. "The football team's started a competition with the baseball team. They're all going to ask you. And most of the chess club's had a thing for you from the get-go. Not to mention all the Techies and the Drama-kids..."

Sarah felt her color draining at the staggering list, but Abby pressed on. "I don't want anything to do with the stupid jocks, but some of the others are nice guys and well… They shouldn't go alone. I don't want to go alone."

"How… did you hear about all this?" Sarah asked, still flabbergasted.

Abby shrugged. "I listen. It's easy when no one notices you're there. Who do you think you'll say yes to?"

Sarah found a seat where near they were sitting. She didn't need this. She didn't want anything to do with high school guys. She would be going to college next year, and it just wasn't smart to get involved. Not to mention the uproar it would cause if she picked a favorite.

It just wasn't smart. "I'm not going." She said, feeling a little more at peace with the idea. That would make fifty rejections a lot easier on her. Sarah looked up at the frowning Abby and offered a wane smile. "Who would you like pushed your way?"

Abby looked shy suddenly. "One of the gentlemen if you could. Maybe George from Chess club." She blushed. "He has such pretty blonde hair."

Sarah had long since lost her taste for blondes who played games. "If he asks, I'll be sure to mention you."

Abby threw her arms around Sarah in a surprisingly heartfelt hug. "Thanks a ton, Sarah. I owe you, girl. If you ever need anything from me, just call."

If you ever need…

Sarah brushed off the uneasy shiver that ran up her spine. Too much had been reminding her of that day in the Labyrinth recently. Too much seemed to be keen to distract her. She needed to get her head back into her work, the play. It was a scant week away, and although the cast seemed ready… Something kept telling her things would not go as planned.

* * *

Jareth smiled at his reflection. He looked much younger than usual, able to easily pass for a human of a mature eighteen years. The costume he had reluctantly dulled to appear more like something a young human would fashion, although it was still meticulously fit to display him to advantage. He still looked stunning in it. A regular Romeo, alright.

Things were going exactly as planned. His lovely Sarah spurned all advances by the opposite sex, although she retained contact with her overly-friendly co-star. Well, that wouldn't last long. He'd personally woven the spell around that upstart young buck, Andy, and it turned out more beautifully than he could have hoped. The lad didn't suspect a thing, and when the time came, when the fateful first production hit the stage, it would begin to take effect.

He hoped it would be as dramatic as it was meant, and therefore a better warning.

Regardless, he would enjoy the little revenge for the boy's wandering eye. That it fit perfectly into his plans was simply a bonus.

"My Lord, is the glamour sufficient?" The ancient, entrancing voice from behind him drew him finally from the mirror as he gazed appraisingly at what, to the untrained eye, appeared to be a young human boy in friar's robes.

"The spitting image of the actor." Jareth approved. "Are you ready for your performance?"

The ancient-young eyes flashed with amusement. "I am ready for something, My Lord. What it will be… We shall see."

* * *

Sarah closed her eyes as Abby, handy with a brush as well as a script, piled her long dark hair atop her head, and began to turn it into a cascade of curls. She didn't like watching the hot metal in the mirror so close to her face. Not that she didn't trust Abby, but… Well, she didn't. Certain things in her life had conspired to give her a some mild trust issues.

She was already in her costume, a beautiful green affair, from another era both in it's style and how it was made. Pretty as it was, going well with her eyes and flowing well over her figure, it had very obviously been repaired and resized too many times, the long-ago donation to the school from a local theatre's costume collection.

Most of the costumes were of the same quality, although maybe a bit less-used. She could hear the quiet buzz of nervous conversation that always began once the costumes and make-up came on. In the background, the stage manager, Laura, could be heard as she ran light checks and talked with the director.

Soon there was a hand on her shoulder, and she opened her eyes to see Juliet staring back at her in the mirror. "You look gorgeous, Sarah." Abby breathed proudly in her ear. "Break a leg."

Sarah gave her the calm smile that for her was the calm before every performance. The calm before the storm. "Thanks, Abby. You too."

Laura's voice, able to cut through any crowd, came from on stage. "Audience enters in five, people! Shut up and let's kick out an opening night!"

The buzz rose sharply for a moment before settling into an excited and anticipatory silence. The curtains slid shut and the sound of the auditorium door being locked open came as the audience began to filter in.

Sarah slipped out of the dressing-rooms, which wasn't more than the hallway outside back stage, and into the darkness of the wings of the stage. She found Andy already there, and looking more anxious than she'd ever seen him. "You okay?" She asked, eyeing the unusual pallor of his skin.

He turned to smile at her, and the expression improved his appearance greatly. "Oh, I'm great. Just a little bit of opening night jitters."

She nodded uncertainly. "Well, just don't let it get to you."

He rolled his eyes. "Yes, Ms Williams. I remember the lesson." He shrugged. "No one remembers the first scenes anyway. They don't really pay attention until you make an appearance."

"That's not true!" Sarah protested, only to be shushed with a slicing look from Laura. She continued in a whisper. "Don't go screwing up the first scenes on my account."

"I wouldn't dare." He said solemnly, then grinned. "The only bits of my acting that have to do with you are the kiss scenes."

Sarah rolled her eyes and made a swipe at his head that he ducked with a laugh. Laura gave them a death glare and they drifted apart, he getting into his position for the first few scenes, and she retreating to the dressing rooms to help Abby with the rest of the hair and make-up, only to find nothing to do. Everyone was ready.

It was hard to remember why she'd been so anxious a week ago. They were ready for this play. What could go wrong?

* * *

**Author's Note:** I'm sorry. This chapter's a little on the short side, I know. I was going to go through another scene, but that turned out on the long side, and this was just too perfect an end to the chapter to pass up. When next we convene… Bum bum bum! Jareth makes his big debut!


	3. Chapter 3: Roles and Revisions

**A Regular Romeo**

Summary: To Sarah, it's just a play. To Jareth, it's much, much more. The Bard knew the right words, after all. JxS

_By Literary Litany_

Disclaimer: Labyrinth is a work of Jim Henson, and Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare's. I claim only intellectual rights to the plot and original characters, and gain no financial benefit from this writing, only the warm fuzzy feeling reviews gets me.

* * *

Sarah entered on Lord Capulet's arm, happily greeting the extras as she waited for Romeo's next line. Andy always did a beautiful job with this sonnet.

Except the voice that spoke, a low, velvety, hauntingly familiar voice, was not Andy's.

"O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!  
It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night  
Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear;  
Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear!  
So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows,  
As yonder lady o'er her fellows shows.  
The measure done, I'll watch her place of stand,  
And, touching hers, make blessed my rude hand.  
Did my heart love till now? forswear it, sight!  
For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night."

It took all her control as an actress not to do a double take, and she forced herself to move slowly and discreetly as she slipped a glance to the other side of the stage. There stood a new Romeo, a bit taller and more regal than Andy, and with wisps of blonde hair escaping from behind the mask he wore. A mask that stole her breath from her lungs so that she paid no mind at all to Tybalt and Capulet behind her as she was drawn wide-eyed toward the horned-mask actor. He joined her at the center of the stage, smiling at her expression as he dropped the mask. "If I profane with my unworthiest hand, this holy shrine, then gentle fine is this: My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss."

Jareth. He looked younger somehow, young enough to be a student, but his features were unmistakable, his royal bearing and smooth voice the same as it had been. The Goblin King was playing Romeo. What could she do? Where could she run?

Nowhere, the answer was evident. Her classmates were waiting on her. She couldn't let them down. The show must go on. "Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much," She said, thoughts moving at a million miles an hour. "Which mannerly devotion shows in this; for saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch, and palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss." The breathless quality her voice took on fit well enough into her performance.

"Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?" He asked, a faint smirk alighting his face, an all-too-familiar expression. He was challenging her, just like he'd been then.

"Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer." She pushed the stream of thoughts to the back of her mind and refocused, managing a sly-shy smile by way of accepting his challenge. He wouldn't find her so easy to throw off this time.

"O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do; They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair." He moved toward her and she leaned back nervously, flashing another shy smile to cover the move.

"Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake." She didn't have to fake the blush rising to her cheeks at the attention Jareth was paying her mouth.

"Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take. Thus from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged." He said, closing with a step the final space between them. Sarah's breath caught in her chest, a flicker of fear at what he was going to do, but the kiss was soft and light, long enough only for her eyes to slip closed before the strange and affecting feel of his lips were gone.

She blinked at him, bringing a hand to her throat as she continued the game. "Then have my lips the sin that they have took."

He looked properly distressed for one flicker of a moment, a teasing, smirking actor he was, but still a good one. "Sin from thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged! Give me my sin again." And so they both moved this time, the meeting of lips only slightly deeper than before. He did something too quick to tell what, she thought with his tongue, leaving a spicy taste of something unnamable and electric on the tip of her own.

"You kiss by the book." She said breathlessly, nearly jumping out of her skin when Abby appeared at her elbow.

"Madam, your mother graces a word with you." The other actress didn't quite manage to mask the fact she was staring at Jareth, and Sarah gave her arm a quick squeeze as she slipped past her and into the background again, although she wasn't sure herself if the gesture was meant to be a reassurance, or a warning.

The rest of the act was eerie but mercifully brief as in a fit of déjà vu, for the second time, with Shakespeare's words, Sarah bemoaned the fact that Jareth, though he loved her, was her enemy.

* * *

As soon as the curtain slipped closed to raucous applause, Sarah wheeled away from Abby and stomped over to the Goblin King with a commendable attempt at stripping the flesh from his bones with a glare. "Jareth!" She hissed, careful to keep her voice low. "What are you doing here??"

He simply smirked at her. "Filling in for the poor boy with a frog in his throat."

"A frog in…" She stared at him. "You didn't."

He raised a delicate eyebrow. "That is what you humans call throat problems, isn't it?"

She shook her head. "You're unbelievable. You're going to ruin the play!"

He gestured to the excited whispers of the crowd on the other side of the curtain. "Far from it, I think they're enjoying it much more now that there is a mystery player."

She scowled at him, but grudgingly couldn't disagree. "Why are you here?"

He smiled charmingly and lied just as well. "You wished for the play to go well, did you not?"

She swallowed. She'd talked so much about the play. Spent so much time on it. She had wished them all good luck, hadn't she? What kind of price would Jareth extract for her careless words this time?

But she couldn't think about that yet. He was here and Andy wasn't. She owed it to the other actors not to talk the only Romeo in sight back to the Underground. And as he'd said, she personally wanted things to go well. Needed them to go well. "You know the lines?" She asked gruffly.

His mismatched eyes twinkled with mischief. "Word for word, my star cross'd lover."

She looked up at the ceiling, debating exasperatedly with herself for a moment before she sighed. "Fine, we can do this, but I'm not happy about it." She pointed at him and gave a warning look. "No more funny business. We stick to the script."

Jareth looked solemn, drawing a little "X" across his chest. "Cross my heart and hope to die. By the script."

Relaxing a bit, Sarah turned toward the back stage for her costume change. Before she got two steps she found herself in a nightgown that, while still appropriate for the scene, made her feel less like an actress and more like a virgin burlesque dancer. She turned to glare at Jareth, who smiled innocently at her.

"Twenty minute intermission!" Laura called, and the announcer's smooth voice from the other side of the curtain informed the audience of both the intermission, and a small role change, introducing Jareth as Jared Gobkin, a guest actor.

Sarah started to massage her temple, wishing away her growing headache and the nightmare forming around her. The other actors gathered around the Goblin King with many excited questions.

Abby was at the front of the line. "Wow, you're good. How old are you?"

"I'm in college." He lied smoothly. "I was just here to see Sarah's play." He met her gaze as he said the next thing. "I couldn't miss my fiancée's last high school performance, now could I?"

There was a collective gasp from the backstage crowd as they looked back and forth between Jareth and Sarah, who stood with her mouth hanging open in shock and horror.

Kill him. She was going to murder him. Goblin King or no she was going to strangle the conniving bastard with her bare hands. At least, she was, until that annoying responsible part of her brain reminded her they had a second act to get through before that was wise to attempt.

She crossed her arms. "You are not my fiancée."

He flashed a wicked grin. "Don't be so quick to deny me, Sarah. Words have power."

She rolled her eyes skyward. "Is it just me, or is your ego making it a bit cramped back here?"

The bewildered students around them seemed to catch on that this was a familiar argument and laughed the quiet backstage-giggle.

Jareth didn't appreciate being laughed at, and so chose to ignore Sarah's question in favor of turning his substantial charms on the rest of the cast.

The stage manager, Laura, walked up to Sarah with a frown. "That your usual costume?"

She sighed. "Don't ask."

The other Senior raised her eyebrows but made no further comment on it. "So, old flame, or just wishes he was?"

Sarah couldn't quite keep the scowl up and smirked. "A bit of both, really. We never went anywhere, hard as he tried."

Laura paused consideringly. "If you don't mind me asking, why the hell not? He's gorgeous, he can act, and he walks around knowing Romeo's part word-for-word. I'd think he'd be perfect for you."

Sarah shook her head. "He… Asks stuff of me that I can't give him."

Laura's light expression darkened. "Stuff?"

Sarah blushed and shook her head more emphatically. "Not… I mean, no, he never pressured me about that. Not directly." She sighed. "But he wanted… obedience, I guess."

Laura nodded understandingly. "Control freak. Yeah, you want to stay away from that type."

Sarah's smile was bitter, with a tiny bit of wistful stealing its way in as well. "Tell me about it."

* * *

Author's Note: Sorry this has taken so long. My health has taken another nose-dive so unfortunately the next chapter may be a bit long in coming. Not to mention it'll be a bit of a feat to explain everything that happens well. (Hint/Teaser: Romeo and Juliet's wedding scene. snicker) So, here's Jareth's big appearance. I didn't go heavy into description here, because I thought it might encumber the action and dialogue. What do you guys think?


	4. Chapter 4: Mistakes and Miscalculations

**A Regular Romeo**

Summary: To Sarah, it's just a play. To Jareth, it's much, much more. The Bard knew the right words, after all. JxS

_By Literary Litany_

Disclaimer: Labyrinth is a work of Jim Henson, and Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare's. I claim only intellectual rights to the plot and original characters, and gain no financial benefit from this writing, only the warm fuzzy feeling reviews gets me.

* * *

The play Jareth liked better and better each moment. This is how his struggle with Sarah should have been. She should have abandoned all family for him and him alone, that he could have her ever more. Their arguments should have been clever banter over a kiss, not heated words over her brother. It was sweet indeed to hear and watch his Sarah utter words of love and promise at him. Words that she had no idea were binding her as tightly to him as Juliet's had to her Romeo.

He was surprised by how much he also enjoyed speaking the lovely words of a long-dead human. The phrases suited him and his world far better than it did the Above, and he could tell despite her front of reluctance, she loved the words as well. She had always loved words, his spirited, dark-haired little minx. It was what had gotten her into such trouble in the first place. What would allow him to win this time.

If she loved the words, she would say them. More than say them. Mean them.

The only problem was he hadn't anticipated just how well the girl grasped those words, or the power they held. Without realizing what she was doing, the girl added nuance and flavor, mastered them as he didn't think a mortal tongue could.

By the time her reluctance melted away, Sarah was adding to the binding of the spell building around them, altering it in ways that brought new vibrancy to the play, but put his precious plans in grave jeopardy. Put more than just his plans at risk. This game had turned dangerous, even deadly, and he had only until their final scene to win, or they would both lose.

What was it about this beautiful, stubborn human girl that so drew both danger and admiration in equal measures?

Jareth hoped she lived long enough for him to find out.

* * *

Jareth was intolerably entrancing as Romeo, insufferably smug between scenes, but even she had to admit that it was all for the better, if only because the competition pushed her to a level she didn't think she'd ever achieved. It was as if everything she had learned in the Labyrinth had prepared her for this, given her a better grasp of the magic in Shakespeare's work. Even Sir Didymus' constant use of archaic speech like the kind she used now helped her to excel, and Jareth's return had brought it all back to her.

It was the most exhilarating feeling, the words pouring from her and leaving a slight tingle of electricity on the tip of her tongue.

"…Or to dispraise my lord with that same tongue  
Which she hath praised him with above compare  
So many thousand times? Go, counsellor;  
Thou and my bosom henceforth shall be twain.  
I'll to the friar, to know his remedy:  
If all else fail, myself have power to die."

Her final words rung with a thick foreboding that that made even her shiver, and she made a hasty exit, nearly running into Jareth who had a very dark expression on his face. "Sarah, I need to speak with yo-"

"Sarah! Quick, costume change." Laura hauled her away from Jareth before he could even finish her sentence, and gave her a firm shove into the girl's dressing room. When Jareth moved to follow her, Laura blocked his path.

"Where are you going?" She asked frostily, crossing her arms and managing to look quite imposing. The glamour had made him shorter than he actually was, and with her considerable height he had the unpleasant and rankling feeling of her looking down her nose at him.

"I need to talk to Sarah. It's important." He told her, cold ice in his voice, and they matched imposing stares for a long moment.

"Not in the girl's dressing room, you're not." He glared, but the human girl stood her ground. He was about to blow her out of his way with one of the nastier spells he could think of when a low snicker sounded from behind him.

He whirled to take out his anger on whatever unlucky player had made the noise, but it was the guise of the boy playing Friar Lawrence that he faced. His own Goblin Elder. "What?" He gritted out.

"I would not do that if I were you, my liege. You are already too late."

He scowled. "What do you mean too late? This is my spell and that girl—"

The creature's eyes glowed. "That girl is in her own territory. Her world of Above. Her birth town. The stage that has been her domain for three years now."

Jareth's eyes widened. "But she can't..."

The boy-goblin's smile sharpened. "She wants to give the performance of her life."

The Goblin King paled. "Sarah…"

"She played your Labyrinth and won, my King." They both turned to look at the door that Jareth knew with sickening certainty would not open for him unless she wanted it to. "Now, it is time for you to play hers."

* * *

Hoggle sighed. While the king was away, the Goblins would play, and one of their favorite games was making a mess of his garden. Faeries could be pests, sure, but they were nothing compared to a rampaging heard of Goblins out to celebrate their day off.

If this was what it was like with Jareth gone one day, Hoggle really didn't want to imagine what would happen if the Goblin King made a more permanent disappearance. Maybe he should be a bit nicer to the guy and not mutter curses at him under his breath.

Then Hoggle thought about it for a moment. Jareth hadn't been gone from the Labyrinth for years. Not since… Not since…

Not since Sarah had beaten the Labyrinth.

Sarah!

Hoggle hopped from his perch on one of the stones of the garden where he'd been watching Ludo try and keep the grabby Goblins at bay. "Ludo, we've got to go find Sarah!"

The giant creature stopped, two goblins dangling and squirming from his hands. "Sawah?" He brightened. "Sawah wannus?"

Hoggle frowned. "Sarah's with Jareth." He looked at the horizon, and a few other spots to estimate how long the Goblin King had been gone. "Ludo, you find Sir Didymus. I've got some important things to do."

Ludo gave a worried bob of his head and shuffled off as Hoggle turned his mind to a more important task… And he knew just the kid to help him.

* * *

Toby liked Sarah a lot as a sister, and the fighting in the play was cool, but the air was starting to smell funny, and whenever Sarah talked it made him feel itchy, so he wriggled out of his seat and climbed back under, leaving his Jar-Bear in his seat to fool Mom. He would apologize for missing the end of her play later. She would understand. There was _kissing_.

When he got out of the auditorium, he didn't really know where he wanted to go next, but he didn't have to ponder long because Hoggle was waiting for him in the window. "Hobble!" He cried, teetering over to the dwarf and sometime-babysitter when Sarah had "important things to do".

Hoggle muttered something that sounded like "Of course he's Jareth's heir, neither of them can say my name right" and reached a hand out of the window. "I need you to come with me, kid." He said a bit more clearly, and Toby frowned.

"I'm s'posed to stay for Sarah's play." He pointed at the doors to the Auditorium. "Fluffy-haired man's in it too."

That stopped Hoggle in his tracks. "Play?"

Toby bobbed his head happily. "It's a great play. Sarah's really good. And she gets to die at the end!"

* * *

Author's Note: Ungh. More apologies this chapter as well. I had to completely re-work the ending I had planned so I ended up writing this chapter twice, which would be why it's so late in coming. Also, as a result of that, I'm taking suggestions for one part of the ending which if you want to get small spoilers but contribute, e-mail or message me. I may not be able to use it(it has to fit in with the rest of the ending of course), but I'll take all of them into consideration. Thanks for you guys' wonderful support. I've been feeling much better. The next chapter will be longer, I promise.


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